Translucent light shield



Jan. 16,1940. T. E. KIEIRNAN 2,187,127

TRANSLUCENT LIGHT SHIELD I Filed Dec. 24, 1957 Thomas BKiernan 11v ENTOR.

By j

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,187,127 TaANsLuocNT LIGHT snmnp' Thomas E. Kiernan, Newburgh, N. Y., assignor to E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company. Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application December 24, B537, Serial No. 181,565

2 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of window shading and more particularly to a double roller shade and light shield assembly.

There are many' drawbacks to the common.

5 window shade arrangement wherein one shade mounted on a roller is used to shade an entire window. The window cannot be opened at the roller end without causing drafts which quickly injure and destroy the curtain. Even with per- 10 feet operation, it is not possible to shade a portion of the window except that adjacent the roller.

This is a serious hindrance to the use of this type of construction, especially in school rooms,

oilices, and the like, where it isoften desired to shade only the bottom or the top of a window at a given time. Other disadvantages are known to the general public.

The commonest way of overcoming these difliculties is to mount two shade rollers medially on the window frame, and open them in opposite directions so that one will shade the lower half and the-other the upper half of the window. This arrangement also has disadvantages. If the shades are arranged in such a way that they overlap in unwinding from their respective rollers, light enters at the sides of the shade which is suspended away from the window. Furthermore, this same shade rubs on the other in operation and as a result is quickly frayed and worn out. If both shades-unwind toward the window (in an efiort to avoid the last-mentioned detriments) 9. gap or slit is left between the rollers.

This allows light to enter the room when complete shading is desired.

To overcome thisdisadvantage, it has been proposed that a shield be placed either in front of or behind'the opening between the two rollers. These proposals do not solve the problem either commercially or esthetically. tions are expensive (often costing more than the roller shades themselves) and do not blend well with the interior decoration. An opaque light shield (such as that known to the prior art) detracts from the inherent beauty of a trans- 4 5 lucent window shade arrangement because of too great a contrast with that portion of the window admitting light. In addition, the operation is not satisfactory because opaque shields shade a portion of the room even when shading is not 30 wanted. This is as undesirable as having a slit of light when shading is desired. Furthermore, they leave a dark blot across the window and a disagreeable bar of shadowacross the room when a mild-light shading is desired. Even a large window shade dealer could not be expected to Such construc- I stock opaque light shields in all window sizes and in all the colors and patterns common to translucent shades.

Some reduction in cost may have been obtained by making the shield of wood and covering it with shade cloth. The device of this patent, while presenting a fairly satisfactory color scheme, does not overcome the disadvantages of opaqueness. The shield is opaque and the wood center is located at the very place where trans- 1olucency is desired. It also requires a special bracket, which adds materially to the cost.

This invention had for an object the provision of an inexpensive, esthetically desirable, translucent light shield. Further objects were 15 to provide a light shield readily installable on any sized window, to provide a light shield in a pattern which harmonizes with the window shade material mounted on the spring rollers, and to provide a light shield not requiring special sup- 20 4 porting brackets. A general advance in the art and other objects which will appear hereinafter are also contemplated. Y

It has now been found that a translucent light shield may be prepared by turning over the edges 25 of a strip of material from which the window shades are constructed and stitching this turnedover'portion to form pockets in which reinforcing elements are later inserted. In operation the resulting assembly is mounted behind the 'brack- 80 ets used for supporting the window shade rollers. By such an arrangement the light shield is mounted in a taut or extended condition without the necessity of special brackets or external reinforcing elements.

From the following description and specific examples in which are disclosed certain embodiments of the invention as well as details of what is believed to be thej'best mode for carrying out the invention, it will be apparent how the fore- 40 going objects 'andj'related ends are accomplished. The written description is amplified by the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view representing somewhat diagrammatically, with parts broken away, an assembly comprising a window frame, upper and lower window shades, and a translucent light shield mounted behind the window shade rollers;

Figures 2 and 3 are views representing somewhat diagrammatically the brackets (together with the light shield) used tosupport the window shade rollers and maintain the light shield in position;

Figure 4 is a view representing somewhat diagrammatically a stock roll of the light shield materials; and

Figure 5 is a view representing somewhat diagrammatically a translucent light shield ready for installation.

Figure 6 is a view representing somewhat diagrammatically the bracket arm which supports the gudgeon end of a window shade.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

In securing a mode detailed idea of the invention, it will be convenient to refer to the drawing in which the light shield in general is represented by the numeral II. The shield comprises a rectangular translucent portion, having pockets extending lengthwise along its edges. The opposed pockets are ordinarily identical in construction and are indicated in the drawing by the numeral I2. In its operative form the light shield has reinforcing rods indicated 'at I3 inserted in the aforementioned pockets. 'These rods are preferably circular in cross section but may in special circumstances, if desired, have annular, irregular or geometrical outlines, for example, squares, triangles, trapezoids or other polygons. In order to obtain a pleasing appearance with the light shield when it is in operative position, the reinforcing rods must have considerable structural rigidity. For this reason, coupled with price consideration, iron or steel rods are preferred. With due consideration for appearance and the aforementioned characteristics, rods of aluminum, aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, and like materials may be employed. If desired the rods may be galvanized or given other surface treatments, such as nonferrous metal plating (for example, cadmium or nickel), to prevent corrosion.

In commercial practice the manufacturer of light shade (and shield) material prepares the light shield stock in rolls, such as that illustrated in Figure 4, and sells it to the window shade dealer, who cuts the shields in proper lengths, inserts the stiffening rods, and installs the light shield (usually at the time the window shades are being installed). The light shield stock is prepared by folding over the edges of material (window shade) of appropriate width and stitching the same as indicated at I4. Cementing or stapling may, on occasion, replace or supplement the stitching. It is then rolled to prepare it for convenience in handling and shipping.

The light shields may be made of any translucent material which suits the user. Because of the long life and satisfactory resistance to wear and cleaning, it is preferred that the shields be made of a pyroxylin coated fabric which is well known as a window shade material. The preparation of such sheet material is not a part of this invention, but for completeness of disclosure reference is made to U. S. Patents 1,951,119, issued March 13, 1934, and 2,033,170, issued March 10, 1936, which describe in detail its production. The material of U. S. patent application No. 55,198, filed December 19, 1935, now Patent No. 2,127,320, issued August 16, 1938, is particularly suitable for window shades and light shields. Pyroxylin coated paper has also been found suitable. The production of such a material is disclosed in U. S. patent application No. 110,298, filed November 11, 1936, now Patent No. 2,156,046, issued April 25, 1939.

Further reference is made to the drawing in Figure 1 wherein the numeral 28 represents somewhat diagrammatically a window frame, against which is mounted the light shield II by means of the brackets I1 and I8. The brackets also support the upper and lower window shades l5 and I6. respectively. The upper window shade is raised or lowered by means of a cord III, operating over a pulley I52 in the well known manner. Similarly, the lower shade is raised or lowered by means of a cord I6I. In Figure 1, the shade rolls I53 and IE3 are broken away at the left in order to show more clearly the manner in which the light shield II is mounted behind the bracket I1. The bracket I1 is held against the window frame by means of The bracket I8 screws or similar fasteners I1I. is similarly attached. These screws go through the light shield which is positioned between the bracket and the window frame. The light shield, as will now be clear, is maintained in position in three ways. The screws which hold the brackets in place extend through the light shield; they also hold the brackets in such a way that they (the brackets) clamp the light shield against the window frame, and the reinforcin rods (through the light shield material) bear on the upper and lower edges of the brackets.

The brackets I1 and I8 are of conventional construction and are usually manufactured in pairs. In Figure 2 the bracket I1 is illustrated in detail. It comprises an upper supporting arm I12 having a circular opening I16, surrounded by a raised bead or edge I11 adapted to receive and serve as a bearing for the free end of the shade roller. The bracket also has a lower arm I13 having an offset slot I18 adapted to receive the fixed end of the window shade roller. An embossed or raised portion also surrounds this opening. The embossed portion has circular openings on opposite sides of the gudgeon receiving slot, as indicated at I14. adapted to receive a cotter pin or key, as illustrated at I9 in Figure 6. The cotter pin prevents the pintle-like gudgeon end of the window shade roller from slipping out of the slot I18 during operation, especially when an upward pull is exerted-on the shade. Both upper and lower arms of this bracket may have circular openings in dicated at I15, adapted to receive fastening means.

In Figure 3 the bracket I8 is illustrated more in detail. In this bracket the receiving arm for the gudgeon end of the shade is at the top, and is indicated by the numeral I83. An embossed portion I89 containing cotter pin holes, indicated These holes are I at I84, isordinarily utilized. As was the case I with bracket I1, the bracket I8 has a revolving pintle receiving circular opening I86, surrounded by an annular pressed out ring I81. These are located in the lower arm I82. The openings for side fastening are indicated at I85.

It has been found that an over-all height of 4%, inches for the brackets I1 and I8 is suitable for most installations. It has also been found that steel rods inch in diameter are exceptionally well adapted for use as stiffening means I3. This combination of dimensions calls for a light shield having an over-all width or height of approximately 4% inches.

Ordinarily the pockets on the side of the light shield are formed in a continuous manner, that is to say, the fabric base is cut into continuous lengths and thereafter the longitudinal edges are continuously folded over and continuously stitched to form the pockets as shown at I 2| in Figure 4. Having the pockets in this flat forir grams? facilitates'a rolling orlcoiling of the as it leaves the stitching machine. j

The pressure which the-brackets 'II and II apply to the ends of the light shield in clamping ventional. When it is desired to shade the upper portion of the window the cord III is pulled over the pulley I52, raisingjthe shade ll. conventional type of pulley I82 provides for the clamping of cord iii in anyposition. when this type of pulley is utilized the gudgeon end of the top roller I53 ordinarlly'is not pawljlocked, since the cord Ill positions the window shade.

' By this invention there is produced for the first time a translucent light shield having the same appearance as the window shades whoseaction it supplements. This enables the user to obtain complete harmony ofcolor and light tn value, and in addition to its desirable esthetic features andpleasing 'eye value 3 it has the am .tage of inexpensive and easytoinstall. Itmayeasilybeproducedata cost which is only a fraction of that of the shields known to the prior art. As will be apparent from the foregoing' description, the light shield may (without an expensive stocking of material) be readily installed onwlndowsof any size by the dealer the person best fitted to meet the de- 7 mands o! a specific shading sltuation.

As many apparently widely diiferent embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it'is to be understood that-I do. not limit myself to the specific embodiments thereof except as deiined in the appended claims.

I claim: I g 1. In a window shade assembly having a window frame, rollers and a support mounted centrally across said window frame,- translucent shades mounted on said rollers which unwind in opposite directions with a space between said rollers, the improvement which comprises a light shield of translucent material having essentially the same degree of transluqency as said shades, said shield overlying said space between said rollers, whereby the light passing between said rollers is screened.

2. The assemblyof claim. 1 in which the light shield has a metal frame at its perimeter and a cellulose derivative coated fabric is stretched tightly about the frame. I

. THOMAS E. mm. 

